David Edwards, Sr.,
of Orange County, NC

David Edwards, Sr., son of John EDWARDS, Sr. & Mary STOKES, was born c.1740's, maybe in
Virginia, and died Dec. 6, 1782, in Orange Co., NC. He married
Elizabeth Morris. She was born. c.1740's and died Oct.
13, 1827, in Bedford, Lawrence Co., IN. After David Edwards'
death, Elizabeth married Richard WILLIAMS and moved to
Indiana.

Children of David Edwards, Sr., & Elizabeth Morris:

Archibald Edwards

Nathaniel Edwards

John Edwards. Maybe the "Jno. Edwards" listed in the 1820 census of Ashe Co., NC?

Notes

avid Edwards, Sr., was probably born during the
1740's based on the ages of his children. His wife (Elizabeth
MORRIS) and children are identified in an affidavit dated Mar.
24, 1892, which was prepared by his granddaughters Sarah
(EDWARDS) CHOATE, Nancy (EDWARDS) FENDER, and Jane (EDWARDS)
DUNCAN, in Alleghany County, NC. In the affidavit, the three
women state that their father was William EDWARDS, born Oct. 15,
1776, in Orange Co., NC, and that William's brothers and
sisters were Starling, David, Elizabeth who married Henry BREWER,
Polly who married Syl or Cil BREWER, Susan who married Charles
TOLIVER, and Sally who married Jacob CROUSE. They also state that
their grandmother was Elizabeth or Betsy MORRIS. The document
does contain one major inaccuracy: it incorrectly identifies the
father of William (b.1776) as "William Edwards," a
supposed brother of the legendary "Robert Edwards" of
New York. The affidavit was most likely prepared in connection
with litigation over the legendary "Edwards Fortune"
which has periodically captured the attention (and money) of
hundreds of people named Edwards throughout North America. A
correction to the document made in the 1950's states that
David Edwards, Sr., was the son of John Edwards. (Alleghany Co.,
NC, Deed Book 33, pp.524-525.) Click here to read the entire
affidavit.

It is possible that David Edwards is the individual who helped
disperse the Regulator rebels of Orange County on April 30, 1768,
as described by Eli W. Caruthers in Sketch of the Life and Character of David
Caldwell (1942), p.119: "In 1768, the Regulators met on April 30 and 12 deputies were chosen, but before the day appointed the Govenor, William TRYON, having heard of the disturbance, sent David EDWARDS with a proclamation summoning the Regulators to disperse and calling on the officers of the Province to assist the Sheriff in suppressing the insurrection."

Mar. 24, 1778, David EDWARDS served as Juror for the Superior
Court of Orange Co., NC, Hillsborough Dist. (Orange Co. Court
Minutes 1777-1788, Part 1, p.15, Folio I.) David EDWARDS and
others were ordered to lay off and value one acre of land of
George MOORE on which to build a grist Mill on the South Side of
Haw River. (Id., p.19.)

David EDWARDS appears on the 1779 Tax List of Orange Co.,
NC.

The Court records of Orange Co., NC, contain an inventory of
the "property of David EDWARDS deceased Dec. 6th,
1782." Among those buying property at the estate sale were
Elizabeth EDWARDS, Sterlin EDWARDS, John EDWARDS, Junr., and John
EDWARDS, Senr.

The will of John EDWARDS, Sr., dated April 2, 1796, leaves a
slave to unnamed children of David EDWARDS. (Orange Co., NC, Will
Book D, p.56.)

On Jan. 14, 1804, Sterling EDWARDS of Wilkes Co., NC, executed a deed to Nathaniel EDWARDS, William EDWARDS, Archibald EDWARDS, and John EDWARDS of Orange Co., NC, for £500, a tract of land containing 231 ½ acres beg. at the mouth of Collins Creek known by the name of the Dividing Line, adj. John EDWARDS, Stokes EDWARDS, and Allen EDWARDS, it being part of a tract surveyed and deeded to David EDWARDS, the father of Sterling EDWARDS. Signed: Sterling EDWARDS. Wits: Joshua CARTER, William CARTER. (Orange DB 11, p.342.)

Thanks to Ray K. Edwards for much of the above info. See also
Alleghany County Heritage (Alleghany Co. Hist.-Gen.
Society, 1983) p.196.